New scam tactics catching out more and more Australians.
There’s a big spike in new scams that are catching out more and more unsuspecting Australians. The impersonation cons go to new lengths to extract information and steal savings. Caller ID spoofing displays a phone number or other information to make it appear as if the calls are coming from a different individual or business.
While the caller’s information may appear to be from within the state or country, scammers frequently make calls from outside the state or country. Many individuals believe that you can no longer trust Caller ID because of spoofing, which is commonly done with malevolent or unscrupulous intents by the scammers.
CLI over stamping allows the person calling you to display a different number from the number they are calling from. For example, an Australian company which operates an overseas call centre may over stamp their calls (which originate from overseas) with an Australian number so that you identify this number and return a call.
Beware of suspicious calls and note that most trusted institutions, including banks, will never ask you to provide financial details over the phone. Never send money or gift cards, or give out your credit card or bank details.
Scammers may threaten you with a fine, telephone disconnection, legal costs or sometimes suggest you will be arrested or deported or that you bank account has been compromised.
If you receive a suspected scam call you should:
- Hang up, then check if their story is real by calling the actual organisation
- Never give out any personal or financial information
- Contact your telco to seek assistance
- If bank fraud has been committed, report it to your bank or financial institution immediately and also to the police.
What to do if your number is spoofed and used in scams.
If you get calls from people saying your number is showing up on their caller ID, it’s likely that your number has been maliciously spoofed.
If you believe your number has been spoofed by a scammer, you should contact your telco immediately.
Do not answer calls from unknown numbers and you can also place a message on your voicemail to alert callers that your number has been maliciously spoofed.